Championship predictions

[oiseau]

With most team's recruitment still not quite finished, Bradford's points deduction not yet ratified

and Sheffield not yet showing their hand regarding anything, its difficult to predict the league table.

 

Still its never stopped me before, so here goes :-

 

1st   Hull KR            - Blair, Lunt, Ellis & Co to run riot. Chairman to splash the cash whenever needed.

 

2nd  Bradford          - If their points deduction is 6 or less. Good half-backs and hookers with the usual

                                  big pack. New owners should bring with them much needed money and hopefully

                                  business acumen. Rohan Kanhai would be able to coach this team into second place !

 

3rd  London            - Should be great to watch and will probably score lots of tries at home with a motivator

                                  in Henderson to coach them. May struggle on their travels, however if Bradford get a

                                  9 point or greater  deduction, switch 2nd and 3rd places around.

 

4th & 5th                 - Featherstone and Batley to battle it out for these places, both hard to beat at home,

                                 but both to suffer the odd brainfart on their travels. Maybe just not consistent enough

                                 to trouble the top 3.

 

6th                          - Halifax, but it will be a distant sixth place, they will lose when they should and may

                                 also  lose a few when they shouldn't.

 

The rest                 - Pains me to say it, but Oldham & Swinton, injuries not withstanding, might just have

                                enough to survive. Both have recruited reasonably well and both have good coaching

                                teams, squad size to go against them, so loans or DR could be the difference

                                between survival or the dreaded drop.  

                           

                                Dewsbury's momentum seems to have disappeared,  recruitment up to date has 

                                not been awe inspiring and there seems to be a general  malaise on their forum, 

                                which does not bode well as this is normally the time of year for blind optimism.

 

                                Toulouse, were the  flat track bullies of last season, they need a change of attitude,

                                game management and personnel, which at present is not overly forthcoming.

                                Don't get me wrong, I want Toulouse to prosper and become a force, it would be so

                                beneficial for the French game and Rugby League in general, I just think that they

                                have too many ageing Antipodeans, who when the chips are down, can't be arsed,

                                couple this with their home grown players eye-watering interpretation of on-field discipline,

                                I think that they will lose a few at home and not win many away. 

 

                                Sheffield, the phantom club of Rugby League, who knows where home will be and who 

                                knows who will be playing for them, but playing catch up at this time of year is certainly   

                                not helping their cause.

 

                                Which just leaves Rochdale Hornets, my team. Can I be objective, probably not,

                                but they are not going to be the rubbing rags that most are predicting. They have 

                                a very astute coaching team who rope-a-doped Toulouse to great effect last year.

                                Again, they have recruited reasonably well, and have a bit of size in the forwards

                                and some pace in the backs, but its the sum of the whole that makes survival a

                                real possibility.

 

                                Relegation, who knows, but not Hornets, thank you very much !    

Who are the 'ageing antipodeans' ?     Ford & Curran are 27 and Kheirallah 26.

 

TO will struggle to get to mid-table, their squad is small compared to the others and the travelling plus the leap  in level will hurt them.

[Bullseye]

I'm really looking forward to next season.

I think HKR will finish top. They're still used to playing at SL level and they will take time to be dragged down to the level of the other teams.

I think London are well coached and will finish 2nd. They've added a bit of flair too which gives them a bit more edge.

I fancy Fev for third. They've a big pack and are well coached.

Fourth depends on the Bulls points deduction. If it's only 6 I fancy us to get 4th place. The only question marks about us are around the size of the pack and whether Smith is really as good a coach as I hope he is.

Batley may well get into 4th or may even do better. A lot depends on how Disk in does. They're a strong side.

The rest could finish anywhere. I think Swinton and Oldham will shock a few sides but ultimately finish in the lower half.

Dewsbury are a bit of an unknown quantity. Morrison has been there a while now and I think it's time they did something or he could be on his way.

[Popeye Doyle]

Who are the 'ageing antipodeans' ?     Ford & Curran are 27 and Kheirallah 26.

 

TO will struggle to get to mid-table, their squad is small compared to the others and the travelling plus the leap  in level will hurt them.

 

 

Hello Ois,

 

You are correct and I am wrong, Kane Bentley, Con Mika and Greg White are also under 30.

They must have had proper hard paper rounds as kids !

 

Are you surprised at Toulouse's recruitment as of now, Hornets have made several

signings to strengthen their team and they are the only yardstick that you can

measure Toulouse by.

 

Other than the new half-back, and that signing is offset by Hulme's retirement,

it just looks like re-signings at the moment, have you heard any rumours

regarding future cash splashing. For the sake of French RL, Toulouse need

to be strong and successful in the Championship and I cannot see this current

crop of players being able to challenge without significant additions.

[Blind side johnny]

Would love to know on what basis people have Swinton finishing bottom, particularly those who have Oldham four or five places higher in the table.

 

 

It's called having an opinion and what forums are about, so I am told.

[damp squib]

Kane Bentley and Greg White are French. Do they lose their citizenship because they have non-French fathers? Toulouse must have one of the youngest squads in the CC which is probably their biggest weakness.

Rochdale fans really have a chip on their shoulder about Toulouse.

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

Kane Bentley and Greg White are French. Do they lose their citizenship because they have non-French fathers? Toulouse must have one of the youngest squads in the CC which is probably their biggest weakness.

 

 

Perhaps their youthfulness could be a strength as a gruelling season progresses.

[BeerGrills]

1) London Broncos

2) Hull KR

3) Halifax

4) Batley

5) Toulouse 

6) Featherstone

7) Swinton

10) Bradford

9) Sheffield

10) Dewsbury

11) Rochdale

12) Oldham

[Buderus]

1. London

2. Hull KR

3. Featherstone

4. Bradford

5. Batley

6. Toulouse

7. Halifax

8. Oldham

9. Swinton

10. Rochdale

11. Dewsbury

12. Sheffield

[Konkrete]

I'm really looking forward to next season.

I think HKR will finish top. They're still used to playing at SL level and they will take time to be dragged down to the level of the other teams.

I think London are well coached and will finish 2nd. They've added a bit of flair too which gives them a bit more edge.

I fancy Fev for third. They've a big pack and are well coached.

Fourth depends on the Bulls points deduction. If it's only 6 I fancy us to get 4th place. The only question marks about us are around the size of the pack and whether Smith is really as good a coach as I hope he is.

Batley may well get into 4th or may even do better. A lot depends on how Disk in does. They're a strong side.

The rest could finish anywhere. I think Swinton and Oldham will shock a few sides but ultimately finish in the lower half.

Dewsbury are a bit of an unknown quantity. Morrison has been there a while now and I think it's time they did something or he could be on his way.

Batley have lost their two best assets so I'm not expecting them to do as well as last year. Dewsbury have gone great in the last few seasons so I think that Morrison will be pretty safe, for me they're overachieving if anything.

Does anyone know what's happening with Matt Groat?

[Blind side johnny]

Batley have lost their two best assets so I'm not expecting them to do as well as last year. Dewsbury have gone great in the last few seasons so I think that Morrison will be pretty safe, for me they're overachieving if anything.

Does anyone know what's happening with Matt Groat?

 

 

Groat is playing in Queensland. He went back with his family who were homesick, allegedly. I fail to see how Dewsbury have over-achieved.

[Popeye Doyle]

Kane Bentley and Greg White are French. Do they lose their citizenship because they have non-French fathers? Toulouse must have one of the youngest squads in the CC which is probably their biggest weakness.

Rochdale fans really have a chip on their shoulder about Toulouse.

 

Hello Dampers,

 

I cannot answer for other Hornets supporters, but my interest in Toulouse

is borne out of the fact that I live less than 90 minutes away from their ground

and want them to prosper, then maybe The Aude Cathares will form and follow

in their footsteps and strengthen French Rugby League as a whole.

 

I can only apologize for offending you regarding Monsieur's Bentley and White,

and I bow to your superior knowledge regarding their nationality.

 

Without seeming too chippy, lack of heart and discipline were TO's biggest weakness

last season when it really mattered, not a lack of experience, and that is worrying

as there will be no "gimme" matches in 2017, unlike last season.

[yipyee]

Lots of predictions of Batley finishing high .... but without John Kear???

[distantdog]

Lots of predictions of Batley finishing high .... but without John Kear???

 

Well he didn't play too many matches for us last season either!

 

I agree though that it is a gamble this season with any new appointment! The club could have made a 'safer' appointment, but clearly didn't. They still have high expectations for this forthcoming season!

[oiseau]

Hello Ois,

 

You are correct and I am wrong, Kane Bentley, Con Mika and Greg White are also under 30.

They must have had proper hard paper rounds as kids !

 

Are you surprised at Toulouse's recruitment as of now, Hornets have made several

signings to strengthen their team and they are the only yardstick that you can

measure Toulouse by.

 

Other than the new half-back, and that signing is offset by Hulme's retirement,

it just looks like re-signings at the moment, have you heard any rumours

regarding future cash splashing. For the sake of French RL, Toulouse need

to be strong and successful in the Championship and I cannot see this current

crop of players being able to challenge without significant additions.

As pointed out the Bentleys and Greg White are French.

Last years TO team was the youngest in C1 at 23 years which is dangerously young as you infer. They got away with a lot last season but have learned a lot.Whether they can handle the step up is questionable.

Always loads of rumours fliying around tho' Houles has always stated he will neot be adding to the squad but I don't know if that is due to loyalty or constraints from above.. Larroyer would seem an obvious candidate but could they afford him ?

Rochdale have made some decent looking signings but they have let some good players leave also. I don't know if the Hornets have a Plan B if their  attritional RL starts to fail them.

I fear for TO as the season wears on as injuries, lack of squad depth  and travel fatigue may well cost them.

On the day they can beat just about anyone at this level but I don't know if they can keep it going until the end of a long season.

[Chris_T]

Lots of predictions of Batley finishing high .... but without John Kear???

The whole club from chairman down is on a high at the moment, the place is buzzing. Last seasons cash injection is being used to build a new gym/wrestle room, upgrading toilets and the bar/function room. A new astroturf area inside the ground for training and kids to play on on match days. We have kept hold of all last seasons excellent squad bar Hirst and Ulugia but have replaced them both with better players. We have 3 season long loans from Cas rather than Dual reg to add competition for places. Diskin has come across very well in the 2 functions held at the club so far this season. He has an excellent philosophy for how he intends us to play. Its our Chairmans 20th aniversary in charge of the club and who would have thought 20 years ago that the Batley club would be in a much better state than the Bulls and Fax. Its a case of slow and steady wins the race and im very confident We will be top 4 and i think we might sneak 2nd.

[Oxford]

"Still too many ifs and buts to confidently predict anything. However:"

 

HKR,T O, Bulls and London but all based on last year which is the usual chocolate teapot when it comes to predictions.

 

But how interesting does that look for the second tier of our sport?

[londonrlfan]

Us to win it, not fussed about the others.

[Feverly Hills 90210]

1 ROVERS

2 LONDON

3 ROVERS

4 BATLEY

[deluded pom?]

1 ROVERS

2 LONDON

3 ROVERS

4 BATLEY

Hull KR won't top the league FH.

[Connor mcb]

Sheffield did bad last season full time now they are part time I think they will go down

[nonbelievers]

I don't think any of the sides for 2017 look as strong as Leigh did this year, but I still see someone going up.......who will depend on how much London have learnt from the last 2 seasons and how HRK adjust to the different style of play in the 2nd Tier.....and I agree with Oxford, London and TO in the 2nd tier is pretty amazing...

[stevereed100]

Hull KR won't top the league FH.

And your reasons for that prediction?

[stevereed100]

That killed that! Silence is golden.

[Marty Funkhouser]

Hull KR won't top the league FH.

 

 

Hull KR will walk it by a margin...

[Blind side johnny]

Hull KR will walk it by a margin...

 

 

How big a margin, a country mile perhaps?